Lingmoor and Cathedral Cavern

First walk for our Easter week staying in Elterwater with friends.  The first time we've walked in the lakes with other people, so we're happy to do some similar walks from previous trips and to have more excuses to go to the pub!

Difficulty: 5

Walkers: Tim, Caroline, Grace (13), Evie (10), Poppy (7)

10:10, 0.0km 0h00 0m, Start (74)

13:47, 8.4km 3h36 596m, Lingmoor Fell (469, Wainwright)

17:24, 16.9km 7h13 713m, End (68)

Starting from our house in Elterwater, we headed south to Cathedral Cavern, before heading back up to Lingmoor Fell and Squeeze Rock.  Poppy started off wearing her new gaiters, tested last week on a 10 mile walk, but she fell over three times in a few minutes after her gaiters hitting each other.  I think she needs larger hips to get her legs further apart...

We went through the dark tunnel first, then climbed down and through in to the main cavern.

Slater Bridge, forecast was for the fog to lift by 9am, but no signs of going anywhere just yet.  Very light drizzle occasionally.

After crossing over the road at Little Langdale we stopped for lunch before we climbed enough to get in the clouds and lose the view.  We did pick up some cake at the farm just before turning up the fell, my flapjack was great.

Top of Lingmoor Fell.

On the way along the ridge we started to get views over to the Langdales and to Blea Tarn to our left.  Just enough to let you know what you were missing before it clouded over again, but steadily was becoming clearer.

Looking up towards Blea Tarn. 

We had tried not to hype up Squeeze Rock too much to our friends, but I suspect they could not help to be slightly disappointed.  Yes it's a tight fit, but it's not exactly very arduous or long...

Coming back along the Langdale Valley, the cloud was really clearing up, and was quite impressive blowing over the top of the Crinkle Crags.

Grace, who set the pace for much of the day.

Family heading down, now in sunshine!  Suddenly a trip to the pub on the way home sounded like quite a great idea, if only the younger and slower members of the party would cooperate and keep the pace up. 

Evidence of sheep in the Lake District. 

Super still water, and Grace unaware I was taking her picture. We finished off walking through Chapel Stile and back to Elterwater, with a pint at the Britannia Inn.